Receptacles for cremated remains include U.S. Pat. No. 232,782 as far back as 1880 and more recently U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,009,724, 2,562,726 and 3,167,844. Adding indicia or descriptors of the deceased to urns is covered in teachings such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,014 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,771, which shows a unique type of urn with descriptive material concerning the deceased and integrally formed with the funerary item.
Additionally, other types of memorial images and shaped objects are used to perpetuate the memory of loved ones. For example, the medallion in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,189 includes an embossed or carved face surrounded by a decoration. Such an object may be cast or injection molded. More recently, U.S. Pat. Appl. 2012/0091028 teaches a chain-held “dogtag” with the embossed thumbprint of a decedent, and U.S. Pat. Appl. 2010/0199476 shows a clear glass sphere with cremains plus personal items inside. Finally, US Pat. Appl. U.S. 2013/0117977 teaches a solid glass item with embedded cremains.